HOOVER, Ala. —
For the last few years, the west Hoover community has been waiting on a new amphitheater in the Stadium Trace Village development.
Lita Childers says the promise of a public music venue there brings a smile to her face.
“I just love live music. You get a sense of community with live music. It can sometimes be like church,” Childers said.
After two-plus years of planning, the developer held a groundbreaking in September 2022.
>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Groundbreaking marks start of construction on Hoover's first entertainment district, Village Green
About 15 months later, there is still no sign of construction.
“Now they've got us on edge, we've been waiting for it, but it hasn't happened yet,” Stadium Trace Village customer Will McCloyd said.
“It does make you wonder, what is the holdup? Is it a monetary issue, is it a planning issue?” Childers asked.
Mayor Frank Brocato shoveled dirt with other city leaders to signal imminent work on the project.
“Our city council is concerned about it. I mean, it's something that we've, you know, broken ground on it. We've told our folks that it's coming, so it's time to do something,” Brocato said.
The city extended the developer's tax rebate window an extra five years to help fund the future green space.
However, so far, city councilors like Khristi Driver are still waiting for the entertainment payoff.
“Certainly, it's disappointing to not visibly be able to see the progress at this point,” Driver said.
We caught up with developer Will Kadish a few weeks ago.
He told us the $6 million investment is still a go.
“We've already ordered the items we've already spent the money and the stages are ordered paid for. So, we're coming,” Kadish said.
So, what’s been holding up construction?
Kadish said they've spent some time fine-tuning the stage and other venue amenities.
>> ANOTHER VENUE: Village Green amphitheater in the works for Hoover
“Then there was also permitting issues. And fortunately, in November we got approval from the city,” he said.
We checked with Hoover's permit office, who told us final city approval is still pending a green light from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management.
Kadish claims the state's green light is on the way.
“We are expecting our ADEM permit, which is all paid for by March 1st. That's that. Once we have the ADEM permit, we'll have excavators on the ground,” Kadish said.
ADEM confirmed they are reviewing the permit, which they say Kadish's crew applied for the day we interviewed him.
Then, a week after our conversation, he held a news conference to announce the future Village Green's management team.
“We think we got it just right, and we think we got just the right partners and something really special to bring to y'all,” Kadish said.
“We certainly would like to see him make good on that promise. And that's our expectation,” Driver said.
So, visitors like Childers can pull up a chair, and experience a musical revival in her community.
“Everything they need is right here. It's a beautiful area, so an amphitheater would be another stone in the crown,” she said.
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Kadish believes after they receive their ADEM permit in a few weeks, construction should begin immediately.
He hopes to host some soft opening events on the Village Green by sometime in the Fall.
By next Spring, he expects the venue could offer as many as two concerts a week.
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